The American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) has completed their third year of work on behalf of the profession. The ASA has 28 voting state association members, representing nearly 4,000 acupuncturists throughout the United States; and participation from 18 non-voting state acupuncture associations. The ASA is very proud of the work state association members and associates are doing. Much of medicine is governed at the state level, and the state associations are the primary institutions that can nurture that work from the ground up.
State Champions
Exciting recent accomplishments by the state champions include: the addition of acupuncture to Medicaid services in Ohio; a new and much expanded practice act in Illinois; improved reimbursement for acupuncturists through Workers' Compensation in Hawaii; strong advocacy for acupuncture safety and coverage in Massachusetts; removal of a physician referral requirement in Mississippi; safeguards for the public regarding who may practice acupuncture in Nebraska; pilot projects for acupuncture's inclusion in Medicaid in both Maine and Vermont; and continued work to protect against scope creep for other professions in Washington and Wisconsin.
The ASA board has done extensive work as well to position the profession as a voice in federal conversations, looking to include both acupuncture and licensed acupuncturists (or state equivalent) in discussions particularly surrounding the opioid crisis and the role that acupuncture and acupuncturists can play in helping to solve the crisis.
To this end, ASA submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration, FDA Docket No. FDA-2017-D-2497 for "Draft Revisions to FDA Blueprint for Prescriber Education for Extended-Release and Long-Acting Opioids; Request for Comments." They also, in collaboration with the Acupuncture Now Founda-tion (ANF), submitted comments to the Centers for Disease Control regarding the "CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain — United States, 2016." This was done under the auspices of the Joint Acupuncture Opioid Task Force.
Joint Acupuncture Opioid Task Force Submission to the CDC
Recently, ASA worked in collaboration with numerous Chinese groups to produce the white paper entitled, "Acupuncture's Role in Solving the Opioid Epidemic." The American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA), The American Alliance for Profession-al Acupuncture Safety (AAPAS), The Acupuncture Now Foundation (ANF), The American TCM Association (ATCMA), The American TCM Society (ATCMS), and the National Federation of Chinese TCM Organizations (NFCTCMO), prepared this White Paper to address acupuncture's role in this epidemic, providing the evidence that acupuncture should be a primary, non-pharmacologic method for pain relief and management.
Coverage on this work achieved international press, being recognized by the Chinese news agency Xinhua. "Acupuncture helpful in solving opioid epidemic: U.S. white paper." With particular thanks to Dr. Arthur Fan, this paper has also been shared with NIH director Dr. Francis Collins, FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, HHS Assistant Secretary Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, CDC director Dr. Debra Houry, Rep. Judy Chu, and others.
It reached more than 15,000 individuals via the ASA Facebook page, and ultimately was published in both the Journal of Integrative Medicine and Meridians: The Journal of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. It is hoped to be a valuable resource in underscoring the evidence base for acupuncture's efficacy, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness.
Acupuncture "On The Hill"
Further along these lines, ASA worked with Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio to hold the profession's first-ever congressional "Hill briefing" on November 8th. This work grew out of the white paper collaboration, and was intended to help increase the awareness of legislators at all levels and the public about the benefits of acupuncture, especially regarding its role in solving the opioid epidemic.
The ASA has been in regular communication with Representative Judy Chu's office as well about the propos-ed Medicare and Veterans' bills, and are working with her office to consider optimal strategies surrounding these. Policy on these bills was discussed and voted on by the ASA Council at our September mid-year Council teleconference meeting. The next in-person council meeting will be held in Denver, Colo. in March.
Resources you Can Use
The ASA Public Education committee has done outstanding work producing resources promoting acupuncture. Please visit the ASA website: www.asacu.org to find these materials. These include a number of videos and graphics for handout. You can explore the ASA site to find organizational updates, resources, and important announcements. ASA was represented at more than 14 industry events occurring both nationally and internationally.
These included conferences such as the Integrative Fertility Symposium in Vancouver, the Society for Acupuncture Research conference in San Francisco, and the Pacific Symposium in San Diego to name a few. The ASA also participated in international meetings organized by the European TCM Association in Beijing, China.
There they met with the top leadership of the primary organizations for TCM in China, including the World Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies (WFAS), World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS), and the State Administration of TCM — China (SATCM). ASA extends heartfelt thanks to the ETCMA for its collaborative leadership and inclusion. A more complete report of these meetings can be found on the ASA website.
Reshaping Health Care
The ASA continues to take part in the American Medical Association CPT committee meetings. This powerful committee creates the codes that govern what is considered a "procedure" in American medicine, so participation is critical as changes can reshape healthcare. They are so proud that ASA board member, Eric Buckley is chair of the ISO TC249 committee, which works to evaluate and create international standards relative to the field of "TCM."
The ASA has recently created sponsorship categories for schools and vendors to help gather financial support and expertise for the organization, but are continually seeking funding to help the ASA grow. The ASA structure is ideal for doing the work of the profession, and your support, or your help in finding donors — who believe that acupuncture and licensed acupuncturists should play a central role in American health care — would be much appreciated.
Please contact the ASA with questions, comments, feedback, and connections! Donations can also be made directly via the ASA website.
Over my almost 30 years in clinical practice, I have used Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Tang extensively for a wide array of clinical presentations ranging from chronic headaches to anxiety, insomnia, and prescription drug withdrawal symptoms if these situations fit the appropriate patterns – all with extremely positive clinical outcomes.
There’s no doubt that many of your patients visit your practice because they are in pain. And there’s certainly no doubt that curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa) can be incredibly effective in stopping that pain, whether due to chronic conditions like arthritis or acute pain from intensive workouts. But your patients may also benefit from curcumin for other reasons.
| Digital Exclusive
Low back pain is defined as pain the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS), and it can be acute or chronic, localized or radiating. It is a common ailment for adults in the United States, with a lifetime prevalence as high as 65-80%. Whether or not an MRI is available to provide definitive knowledge of a structural issue, acupuncture can be an effective treatment for low back pain.
| Digital Exclusive